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JOURNEY TOWARDS RATIFYING C189
In 2011, the International Labour Organization adopted Convention No. 189 and Convention No. 190, landmark international treaties that set global labor standards for domestic and other vulnerable workers. Convention 189 recognizes domestic work as real work and guarantees protections such as fair wages, rest days, social security, and freedom from abuse and discrimination. For too long, domestic workers in Kenya, most of whom are women, have labored in informal and precarious conditions, enduring low pay, long hours, and a near-total lack of legal protection or recognition.In response to this injustice, we launched a sustained national campaign in 2011 to push for the ratification of Convention 189. Our goal has always been clear: to formally protect domestic workers under both national and international law and ensure they receive the dignity and rights afforded to all other categories of workers.
From the very beginning, we mobilized our members and allies through press conferences, petitions, peaceful processions, court interventions, and public education forums. In 2011, shortly after the adoption of C189, we held our first press event in Nairobi alongside senior union leaders and domestic worker representatives, making a formal call for ratification. The momentum continued in 2012 with a street demonstration in Nairobi that delivered a petition to Parliament buildings, demanding legal protections for domestic workers.
By 2013, our advocacy began to yield legal results. A court ruling affirmed that domestic workers are protected under the Employment Act, validating our argument that domestic workers deserve the same legal rights as other employees. Over time, we widened our strategy, forming alliances with national bodies like @COTU-K and international networks such as the International Domestic Workers Federation @IDWFED, the Solidarity Center, and @Oxfam in Kenya under the #TimeToCare project.
Between 2017 and 2019, we embraced digital advocacy, strengthened grassroots coalitions, and participated in global campaigns. In 2019, we took part in a regional initiative titled “Making it Real – Africa,” using videos and toolkits to promote the practical implementation of Convention 189.
Our advocacy continued with a strong focus on policy influencing. In 2021, with support from the Solidarity Center and other partners, we submitted a formal petition to the Ministry of Labour, urging reform and better protection for informal economy workers, especially domestic workers. These efforts kept the issue firmly in the public eye.
In November 2022, during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we joined civil society partners to submit an open letter to President William Ruto, urging immediate ratification of Conventions 189 and 190. The letter emphasized that Kenya could no longer afford to delay in safeguarding the rights of domestic workers.
Then came a major breakthrough. On May 1, 2023, during the Labour Day celebrations, President Ruto publicly committed to ratifying both conventions. It was a defining moment, proof that over a decade of persistence, organizing, and coalition-building was finally moving the needle.
Following that commitment, we turned our focus to implementation readiness. In June 2023, we hosted an awareness workshop in Nairobi, training domestic workers on their rights under C189. We also began developing a comprehensive training manual, supported by Oxfam in Kenya, to guide both workers and employers. A Sessional Paper was prepared and ratified by our board of management to help the government roll out the Convention effectively.
In 2024, we amplified our message during International Women’s Day, linking domestic work with broader struggles for gender equality. Then in June 2024, the Ministry of Labour, together with stakeholders, convened a national forum calling for the fast-tracking of the ratification process, a clear sign that momentum was building.
Today, in 2025, we stand at the doorstep of history. Kenya is on the verge of ratifying Convention 189. We are working closely with the Ministry of Labour to ensure that the process is completed and more importantly, that it leads to real transformation on the ground: better protections, better enforcement, better lives.
This journey has taught us that change takes persistence, partnerships, and power in unity. Our campaign has already shifted public perception, changed laws, influenced national discourse, and transformed domestic work from invisible labor to visible, dignified employment.
And so today, we are especially proud and grateful to see our message echoed at the very top of Kenya’s labor movement. During the 2025 Labour Day address, COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli publicly urged the President to act. Reinforcing everything we’ve fought for over the last 14 years. His words capture the heart of our movement and reaffirm that this is a struggle embraced by the entire trade union family:
“Your Excellency the President, we are urging you, on behalf of the workers of this country and in the spirit of international solidarity, to fast-track the ratification of Convention 189 and Convention 190. These two conventions are long overdue. Domestic workers, who are the backbone of care work in Kenya, deserve protection under international and national law.”
— Francis Atwoli, Labour Day Address, 1st May 2025
We thank the Secretary General for standing with us. This is not just a statement, it’s a milestone. And it is proof that when we organize, when we persist, we win.